Gerbera flowers are popular daisies that feature large, colorful blooms. Though they re commonly sold potted as gifts, they can make wonderful additions to any flower garden. Plus, when you grow your own gerbera flowers, you ll be able to make beautiful cut flower arrangements.

Family: Asteraceae

Origin: The name of the red gerbera is native to Africa, Madagascar, South America and Tropical Asia. Also known as the African Daisy, as well as Barberton Daisy and Transvaal Daisy, its name comes from the 18th century German naturalist, Traugot Gerber.

Common name: GerberaColor: white petals circling a cone-shaped yellow centreBloom time: Red gerbera daisies are considered perennial flowers in warm areas and annual ones in places where winter is involved. Naturally, red gerbera daisies bloom only during springtime, but they can be found all year long in florist shops.Height: Can grow to anywhere from 60 centimetres to 1 metre tall.Difficulty level: Easy

Planting & Care

Sunlight: Place your gerberas in a sunny windowsill where they can get approximately six hours of sunlight per day. Find a semi-shaded area outside if you are growing them outdoors -- a shaded patio or veranda is ideal.

Soil: Check the soil of the site. If it is heavy or clay-like, you will need to amend it with compost, peat moss and sand. Gerbera flowers grow best in areas with slightly sandy, well-drained soil. Once you ve amended the soil, dig holes for your gerbera plants that are about a foot apart. These holes should be twice as wide as the flower s original container but no deeper. Planting any part of the gerbera s stem can cause the flower to rot. After planting the flowers, pack in the remaining soil firmly and water thoroughly.

Water: Water your gerbera plants in the morning. Avoid wetting the flowers -- moisten the soil that the pants grow in. Allow the soil to dry before watering again. Avoid overwatering your gerberas as this may trigger poor flower growth and root or crown rot.

Temprature: Expose your gerberas to average local temperatures. Avoid temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, if possible, since heat may cause your gerberas to stop blooming. If you can t provide your gerberas with a shaded outdoor area, move them indoors during the hottest hours of the day.

Fertilizer: Fertilize your gerberas every other week during the spring and summer flowering period. Use a water-soluble fertilizer that s rich in potassium and phosphorous.

Gerberas like to dry out somewhat between waterings, so take extra care not to water too much during periods of rainfall, as this can lead to root rot.

When grown as perennials, gerberas will need to be dug up every couple of years to be divided.

To do so, split crowns with a sharp knife, remove dead roots and replant flowers immediately.

UseOrnamental use:

These beautiful blooms are perfect for any occasion (or for no occasion!) and for any region! It’s widely recognized that sending colored Gerbera Daisies represents different emotions, similar to what each rose color means.

The best thing? Gerberas are easy to care for, whether in a vase/pot inside, or planted/potted outside.

In general use a soil-based compost placed over a generous layer of drainage material such as earthenware crocks, pebbles or gravel. Water and feed regularly, especially while plants are bearing flowers and fruit, when a high-potash fertilizer is recommended.

Buy Decorative Pebbles :

Decorate planters or garden landscapes with these decorative pebbles :

Using pebbles in a garden brings different colours and textures to the garden. Pebbles can also fill up otherwise empty space in the garden, leaving a visual that might be considered more interesting and aesthetic than simple dirt, soil or mulch.